A Letter to Mom

Another week down. Time is funny that way, in some ways I can't believe that 2 months have already flown by, but on the other hand it seems like FOREVER!

I'm happy to hear 2 months didn't change the little ones that much and they are the same way I left them; with Jack loving video games and Addy hanging out with Tatum all the time.

I know how much you love a clean house, I am sorry for not keeping it as clean as I should have. I say that because I have noticed how I feel when the house that the Lord has provided for us to live in is clean and tidy. When that happens we find a lot more success in the work and see some very significant blessings come from it.

Hallie has told me about Common Scents and she sounds like she has the same attitude about work that I did, hearing that is kind of irritating. One thing I regret most is not asking for more time off for personal things (not that I used a whole lot of that in school) but she has a ton of friends and is an overwhelmingly social person.

I can see Dad being "sooo funny" and I will admit that it does make me laugh hearing that.
*I wrote and told Trenton about how Hal thought he was so funny in his letter this week to Trenton, Hal stated that I sat there and wouldn't let Hal come to bed until I could see that he had written a proper letter.  That is a LIE! :)

I am finished with Dr. appointments finally, YAY! I don't have Reynauds, which I didn't think I had anyway.  I'm glad to not have to worry about all that stuff anymore.

This previous week has been the most productive, busy, and inspiring week of my mission so far. We have 4 new investigators; all from this last week (I haven't had someone new to teach this whole time).  We are teaching a man named Maurice, he is set to be baptized on Valentines day, fun! Maurice is amazing,  he is autistic and super funny with what he will say, but also very spiritual.

I still very much enjoy riding my bike, but to be fair it has not been past 90 degrees yet, although one day the thermometer said 101, it was hot for 20 minutes and cooled off to 88 within 2 hours.

I don't have any pictures right now, sorry I know you want pictures, I will try a lot harder this week to get you some.

Thank you for the questions because so much happens I don't really know what to write to you about. Thank you again for supporting me in every way while I am out here serving the Lord, I want to do my best out here so that support won't be in vain. I love you a ton and if you could mention that to the rest of the family that would be nice .

Love,
-Elder Throckmorton

4 Investigators Later

The work is going very well and we are actively teaching 2 of the 4 investigators we have. We've been trying to come up with new ideas to find those the Lord has prepared for us to teach, so far we have only come up empty-handed, but I know that through our dedication that the Lord will provide us ways to see and meet those whose hearts have been softened. I know this because while we were out tracting this week we ended up talking to 3 people who are now investigators for 3 other sets of missionaries, it is really exciting to see the work progressing this way.
We attended a ward council and discussed the needs of each investigator and what the ward was willing to do to help them live the gospel in any way they can. I haven't helped the ward much since I have been here, but they are a great help to us. I want to give back as much as I can I just don't know exactly how.

All the missionaries who cover a ward in the stake had dinner at the stake presidents house and President Nattress even came.  He embarrassingly brought up how I looked better in proselyting clothing than in hospital attire,

I feel good emotionally and understand that natural stress and doubts enter your mind.  Satan has put so much doubt into my mind, it is almost abysmal how much. I also know that if we take our doubts to the Lord we will receive reassurance that what we know, what we think, and what we are doing is right; He will help you doubt your doubts.  I love this aspect of being a missionary! While you are a missionary you are forced to deal with some situations that you wouldn't have thought could bother you so much,  I know that the Lord is there to help me through it all.  The work is growing and I know that as my desires to do missionary work grow more that He will bless us with work to do. If you want to know the truth it is that Elder Fa' Amuli is Samoan and competitive, if you know anything about that, well, that it is all I have to say. He is a very amusing person, sensitive to more than just the spirit and I know why I am companions with him.  I  have prayed a lot on wondering how to encourage and uplift him. I just don't know how yet, but I will.

I am just trying to understand what the Lord will have me do next. I love you all for the support and prayers and know that it is because of you that I have built my testimony strong enough to be able to embark on a mission. Thank You!

Love, Elder Throckmorton

Transfers were last week on Wednesday. Elder Fa' Amuli and I still cover the Morning Sun ward. Elder Fa' Amuli became District leader, it's his second position in leadership alongside training me.  He is pretty funny about it because the whole first transfer he kept saying how much he would hate being a leader of any kind, and now look at him, I believe it will be great for him.

I followed up with a neurologist this week, no new answers. I had a lot more blood tests come from that visit, the results should come in about a week from now. No other pressing symptoms that I would tell them about have been seen. The mission nurse still calls everyday to check up and President Nattress calls ever other day, so in short I am still embarrassed. I know that it will be dropped and not talked about again I just don't know exactly when.

It is amazing to see the hand of the Lord work through others because it is always easier to see others blessings (and weaknesses). It is hard to think about how the Lord utilizes us personally because we are either too prideful or afraid we may become that way by recognizing our talents. I can tell you that you must find your talents and know how they can be used to help others feel of God's presence and authority because it is what we are asked to do, also to know your personal weaknesses and not be afraid to ask God for help in strengthening them.

If I find some time to hand write a letter today I will send a letter to you to give to Michaella, I don't know why but my personality is abundantly shy and I feel like I didn't get to know anyone in the ward as well as I know I should have. I will try my best and write according to the spirit. I will keep her in my prayers and hope that she gets feeling better sooner, rather than later.


I love you all so much and I really can feel the prayers that are offered to help the missionaries.

-Elder Throckmorton

Save Me From Embarrassment! Haha

As for me I am doing awesome right now. On New years day I got pretty upset at not being able to remember what had happened that day and so I just went to bed. I woke up the next day with a fever, chills, and dizziness; so I just slept, literally all day. When I woke up on the third, I couldn't remember anything; who I was, where I was, what I was doing there and during personal study I slowly started remembering those things but no specifics. Apparently I was pretty shaky, I was dizzy and also had slight tunnel vision. The elders in my house were kind of scared because these are some signs of a stroke, so we went to the ER (not my idea at all) and from there got  admitted to the hospital by ambulance which was fun but to clarify, not my idea; the level of concern given to missionaries who have access to health care is almost next to insane.  From there I had a full blood workup which consisted of a full table of vials to be filled with my blood. My veins are pretty deep so it took 6 tries at getting the needle to work. The ER nurse must have been a miracle worker of sorts because he only took one try in starting my IV. The list of other tests include CT, MRI, Lumbar puncture (torture), and an EEG; needless to say overboard, like way overboard. After all that and a night in the hospital they took their sweet time in releasing me due to my CT and MRI showing some small foreign matter directly behind my frontal sinus cavities which they determined wasn't anything dramatic enough to worry about, thankfully.  Throughout this whole time I began to feel better and started remembering things in more detail so near the end I was more embarrassed that such a big deal had been made concerning me than anything else.  What a relief it is to not be in the hospital anymore. I am to follow up with a doctor in Gilbert tomorrow and really do not want to go but they are insisting. All the elders are now making fun of me and I can't blame them. I just wish the circumstances could have been a little different. I  feel very good now and I just want them to drop this entire thing as soon as possible so I can get back to work. Thanks for having me in your prayers and I want you all to know how much help that was.

Loving Every Minute Of It

It seems that this time of year everyone is getting sick, our investigators are all sick, it's almost unbelievable.

Last Saturday we had an opportunity to participate in some sporting stuff with the ward and invited a lot of none members to come. We all had a blast playing Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, and football.I absolutely love the members here and how much they want to help out the missionaries in their efforts serving the Lord, but I feel bad about just how fortunate I am to be serving somewhere where all my needs are met in full and reading/listening to stories about missionaries in other areas of the world and just how difficult it is to meet their basic needs, I don't know what I could possibly do for them. We are so well fed it's crazy, the members are too nice sometimes, one even offered Elder Fa' Amuli a bike to use for a while as we fix his. Elder Fa' Amuli poor bike is having problems and he got a flat tire,  we spent 45 minutes fixing it and then 20 minutes later he got another flat it was crazy but we still got some work done so somehow the day was still productive.

Everything is going great, maybe a little too great right now, or it may just be the perspective I have, but I really am enjoying every minute of it and I love to read all the words that everyone has to give me. The zone leaders Elders Shepherd and Peery told me last night that they recommended me to be a district leader, I asked why and they told me not to worry about why, so we will see I guess.

I love you all and hope you get better tell all the little ones that I love them too and yes, I count Hallie as a little one


:) Still doesn't feel quite real.